Protect Children Campaign Partner: HOTREC

Mission StatementHOTREC is the Confederation of National Associations of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafés and Similar Establishments in the European Union and the European Economic Area. It is a Belgian international association recognised by Royal Decree.

HOTREC represents hotels, restaurants and cafés in the European Union. It is the recognised spokesman for the interests of 34 national trade and employer associations, and the hotel, restaurant and café industry of 19 European countries (the European Union, the European Economic Area and Associated Countries)

Policy documentDeclaration against the Sexual Exploitation of Children (Porto, 27 April 1997)

HOTREC, the Confederation of the National Associations of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafés and Similar Establishments in the European Union and European Economic Area,

Observe with great concern that the sexual exploitation of children (prostitution, production of pornographic material, etc.) is on the increase world-wide;

Recognize that, unfortunately, some child sex abusers may attempt to use hotels as the location where they commit their crimes.

HOTREC and its member associations,

Condemn the sexual exploitation of children in any form or manner;

to consider measures to prevent the use of their premises for the sexual exploitation of children

to consider measures to prevent ease of access to child prostitution or child pornography;

Call upon all national governments to take all appropriate measures to effectively eradicate the sexual exploitation of children;

Support the initiatives called for by the European Parliament in several Resolutions and by the European Commission in its Communication "on combating child sex tourism".

HOTREC and its member associations, however, very much regret the frequent use of precisely the latter expression "child sex tourism". The association of the 3 words "child", "sex" and "tourism" is highly damaging to the image of the tourism industry. Such crimes occur because of child sex abusers and, unfortunately, they occur in all sorts of circumstances which are not related to tourism activities.